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General manager, passionate breeder, and perfectionist – the one-man powerhouse that is Pencarrow’s Leon Casey talks about their 2021 Karaka Yearling draft, Pencarrow’s bloodlines, and the way they encourage the industry to buy from them with The Impact
Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow is respected worldwide by the industry for their high-quality racing bloodlines. Casey, who has been at the helm of affairs at Pencarrow for the past 37 years, only chooses to invest his time and energy only those projects that he am passionate about. Once he’s committed, he gives all of himself. And breeding racehorses is one of his passions. Thus another quality crop of yearlings from the famous nursery will be sent through the ring during Book 1 of Karaka 2021.
The Pencarrow draft is larger than previous years, featuring 31 well-related yearlings by a wide range of sires – Darci Brahma, Lonhro, Almanzor, Tivaci, Turn Me Loose (NZ), Iffraaj, Zoustar, Vadamos, Tavistock (NZ), Reliable Man, Caravaggio, Savabeel, American Pharoah, Charm Spirit, Tarzino (NZ), Pierro, Churchill, Russian Revolution, Dundeel (NZ) and Zacinto.
Notably, almost all of the broodmares represented in this year's draft were bred, raised and raced by Pencarrow.
“We are long-term breeders. So every horse that we are offering was bred and raised on our property. We have sold million Dollar yearlings but that's not something that we like to push because our job is to breed and produce top-class horses for people race. And our philosophy is that any horse that we breed, we are happy to race ourselves.”
Pencarrow’s draft comprises 12 fillies from some of Pencarrow’s famous female families, along with the traditional high-quality selection of 19 colts.
“A good example of that is Lot 59, a colt by Iffraaj out of Gr.2 Travis Stakes winner Rasa Lila (NZ) (Darci Bramha). Rasa Lila’s dam is from an incredibly international family that we accessed by importing Tis’ Juliet and we have continued to develop the line. We also bred and raced the dam sire – Darci Brahma.”
“It’s just a great pleasure to be able to offer the progeny of mares that we have bred and raced ourselves.
Other highlights of Pencarrow’s 2021 Karaka Yearling Sale draft features the progeny of elite Group One and stakes-winning mares highlighted by:
Lot 24 is a filly out of Papilio (NZ), a stakes-winning daughter of Redoute’s Choice from the Eight Carat family. She is by exciting first season sire Almanzor, 2016 Champion 3YO colt in Europe.
Lot 94 is a filly out of Galileo mare Scintillula by leading Australian sire Zoustar. Scintillula was a Gr.3 winner in Ireland and Gr.1 placed.
Lot 212 is a colt out of consistent mare Wildflower (NZ) (Keeper) who won at Listed level, also collecting several significant Group placings. This is her first foal by first season sire Caravaggio, 2017 Champion 3YO Sprinter in Ireland.
Lot 325 is a filly out of Listed Matamata Cup winner Cote d'Or (NZ) (Makfi) by prolific sire Tavistock.
Lot 352 is a colt by Pierro out of Dolmabache (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), winner of the Group Two Travis Stakes. He is from Pencarrow’s blueblood Richebourg family with Gr.1 winners Darci Brahma and Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm) featuring in the pedigree.
Lot 431 is a Tavistock colt out of Group One-winning mare Guiseppina (NZ) (Johar). She had the distinction of winning at Gr.1 level over 1200m, while also being adaptable enough to run a narrow second in the Gr.1 Hawkes Bay Spring Classic.
Lot 449 is a filly by first season sire Russian Revolution, out of Keeper mare Insouciant (NZ). She won the coveted New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year title in 2007-08 after claiming the Gr.1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas and Group Three Eulogy Stakes.
Lot 547 is a colt by Almanzor out of Listed winner Miss Scarlatti (NZ) (Stravinsky) who placed second in the Group One VRC Oaks and Wakeful Stakes at Flemington.
Pencarrow’s innovative racing program celebrates their buyers and encourages prospects to come from far and wide to inspect the stock.
“We have got a really wide buying bench. We are not underpinned by a particular group of buyers. We always try to give a filly to train to the people that buy from us. So, this year we are sending18 fillies to different trainers across New Zealand and Australia,” says Casey.
This year’s offering also includes siblings to stakes winners Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma), Darci’s Dream (NZ) (Darci Brahma), Bespoke (NZ) (Pins), Wildflower (NZ) (Keeper), and Lilikoi (NZ) (Charm Spirit), while Lot 367 is out of a stakes-placed half-sister to multiple Group One winner and leading sire Darci Brahma (NZ), from the star-studded family of the legendary Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm).
“We are in the fortunate position in New Zealand to be able to access international breeding lines both from the dam and the sire side. Buyers come to New Zealand knowing they can buy a truly international product that is tested in local conditions,” he said.
We breed our mares to a range of stallions that are available in New Zealand and Australia. We are absolutely confident to race our product in our colors.”
Pencarrow’s draft will be available for on-farm inspections, and then will be stabled in Barn H at the Karaka Sales Centre. Book 1 of Karaka 2021 begins at 1 PM (NZT) on 24 January and runs through until 26 January.